European and Ukrainian leaders have launched an International Claims Commission in The Hague to seek compensation for damage caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. The move, backed by European partners, targets losses worth hundreds of billions of dollars linked to Russian attacks and alleged war crimes
The move, endorsed by 35 countries, targets hundreds of billions of dollars in losses from Russian attacks and alleged war crimes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the signing alongside Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and foreign ministers from Moldova and other European partners. The one-day conference was co-hosted by the Netherlands and the Council of Europe.
“This war and Russia’s responsibility for it must become a clear example so that others learn not to choose aggression,” Zelenskyy said. “Every Russian war crime must have consequences for those who committed them. We expect that every mechanism, from the Register of Damage and Claims Commission to actual payments, will start working with strong international support so that people can truly feel that any kind of damage caused by the war can be compensated.”
The commission is tasked with reviewing reparation claims and determining amounts to be paid. It follows the creation of a Register of Damages about two years ago, which has already received over 80,000 claims from Ukraine.
Discussions on how damages will be financed are ongoing. EU countries have frozen hundreds of billions of euros of Russian assets, and these are being considered as a potential source for compensation, although no transfers have yet been legally authorised. Belgium, which hosts the international deposit organisation Euroclear holding most of the frozen assets, has expressed concerns about potential legal repercussions.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said the launch marked “a big step” towards accountability. “Without accountability, a conflict cannot be fully resolved. And part of that accountability is also paying damages that have been done,” he added.
The commission’s launch coincides with renewed U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that an agreement to end the war was “closer than ever” following discussions with the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and NATO.
The World Bank estimates that reconstruction costs in Ukraine from damage caused by Russia up to December 2024 totalled $524 billion, nearly three times Ukraine’s economic output that year. This figure does not include additional damage from attacks on utilities and critical infrastructure in 2025.
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the tiny French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Canada, where he is due to me...
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday...
In a workshop in Margilan, in eastern Uzbekistan's Fergana ...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Three students were killed in a school shooting in the southern Philippines on Friday, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman who turned the gun on himself, provincial officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the tiny French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Canada, where he is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday (20 September).
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
A small container of lunar soil travelled more than 380,000 kilometres from the far side of the Moon to Earth two years ago. It recently made one more journey - from Beijing to Vienna, where China officially handed it over to the United Nations.
Russian authorities have reported attacks on voting systems and communication lines as the country’s parliamentary election entered its second day on Saturday (19 September).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched a new eight-nation grouping aimed at boosting trade, energy and security cooperation across central and eastern Europe. Here's what you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment